


on thin ice

by A_E_Meadows



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Not Beta Read, Pre-Slash, Shippy Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:33:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22747111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_E_Meadows/pseuds/A_E_Meadows
Summary: 'Jaskier could see the girl wrapped safely in her mother’s arms away from the ice. He cheered in celebration and then the ice beneath him shattered entirely.'Or, Jaskier risks his life to save a child and Geralt realises Jaskier is braver than he seems.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 19
Kudos: 748





	on thin ice

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, it's been a while.  
> This is a little different to my other stories, but I hope you still enjoy it!

"All I'm saying is that you would benefit from owning a hairbrush," Jaskier said, a bounce in his step despite the bite of the winter wind.  
Geralt replied with a low rumble that didn't seem _too_ threatening so Jaskier quickened his pace until he was alongside Roach and her rider.

"Listen, I'll keep an eye out for one once we reach the town. Oh, I can just picture it now - Geralt of Rivia! The Witcher with the luscious, flowing locks -"  
He cut off abruptly at the sharp look he received.  
"Just a friendly suggestion that's all..." Jaskier muttered, stepping over a root before losing his footing on a patch of ice on the other side.

Before he could fall completely a strong hand grasped his collar, yanking him upright. Geralt held on until Jaskier found his footing, sighing deeply at the bard.  
Jaskier grinned up at Geralt, unashamed of his own clumsiness.  


Geralt shook his head, though Jaskier could see the corners of his lips raise slightly.  
Mood immediately lifted, Jaskier continued to walk alongside Roach, managing to keep the pace without too much difficulty. The snow was falling heavier than it had been in the morning, the layer of snow on the ground growing ever thicker.

Jaskier was absently lamenting his decision to wait to buy new boots when he heard a woman screaming, a horrible sound that seemed endless.  
His head snapped up to look at Geralt, who had stiffened slightly.  
The woman screamed again, and Jaskier caught the words "help", "daughter", and "ice" carried by the wind. He turned in the direction of the voice and was about to head that way when a heavy hand fell on his shoulder.

"You won't make it in time." Geralt said. "It sounds like it's coming from the lake,"  
Jaskier thought back to the lake they had passed a little while earlier, where the ice had formed but only thinly.  
"I'll take a shortcut through the trees," Jaskier said, having to raise his voice to be heard over the growing wind.  
"I’ll have to keep Roach on the path," Geralt replied, a few strands of his hair had come loose and was whipping around his face.  
Jaskier nodded, grateful that Geralt wasn't going to try and stop him. He remembered playing on frozen lakes as a child, he knew the dangers.

He took off without another word, crashing through the trees. The snow was thick, up to his ankles, and concealed the dips and ditches in the ground. He fell a few times onto his hands and knees, the brambles scratching his hands and cheeks. Jaskier didn’t stop though, the woman’s screaming, nearer now than before, spurring him on. Finally he crashed through the tree line into open space, the iced over lake in front of him. 

A woman was crouched by the edge, leaning as close as she could out over the frozen water. Further out on the lake a young child stood on shaking legs, the ice splintering around her. The loud cracks as the ice broke echoed around them and Jaskier’s heart clenched in his chest. He debated waiting for Geralt, but the speed of the ice breaking left him little choice.  
He raced to the lady’s side, crouching down beside her.  


She immediately grabbed hold of Jaskier’s arm, turning to face him with desperate eyes.  
“Please, please” she said. “You have to help my daughter,”  
Jaskier nodded, trying to calm his racing heart.  
“I will,” he replied, helping the woman to stand and move back from the ice. “Stay here, and don’t step on the ice,” 

She was crying, tears running down her cheeks.  
“What’s your daughter’s name?” Jaskier asked, as he began to move toward the ice.  
“Her name is Eve,” she sobbed.  
“I promise, Eve will be just fine,” Jaskier replied, though the words left a bitter taste in his mouth. At this rate the ice would break before he could get to the girl. That or they would both end up in the water.  
He was glad Geralt was coming at least.

Jaskier gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile to the mother, before stepping closer to the ice.  
“Hi Eve,” he called to the child. “I’m Jaskier,”  
Eve stared at him with wide, watery eyes.  
“It’s okay,” Jaskier said, moving carefully until he was laying down on the ice.  
The cracks were becoming deeper, the sounds deafening.  
Jaskier cringed and began to slide forward cautiously.  


“Eve listen to me very carefully,” Jaskier said, trying to keep his tone light. “You need to lay down on the ice like me, okay?”  
Eve nodded shakily, before slowly copying Jaskier.  
As she knelt down on the ice, a large crack appeared right beneath her.  
The girl’s mother gasped loudly, calling out in fear.  
Eve immediately burst into tears and began to panic, crawling forward towards Jaskier. 

“No!” Jaskier yelled, throwing up a hand. “Don’t move!”  
Eve stopped suddenly, crying more.  
“It-it’s okay, just lay down on your stomach and I’ll come and get you,”  
Eve did as she was told, moving even more slowly than before.  
Jaskier sighed in relief before edging closer to the girl.  


Once he was near enough he reached out a hand.  
“Okay, take my hand and I’ll get you back to your mother in no time,” Jaskier smiled.  
Now that Jaskier had reached her, Eve had calmed considerably and even managed a small smile back at the bard.

She took his hand and Jaskier wasted no time beginning to move backwards on the ice.  
“I’m a bard, you know,” Jaskier grinned, as they slowly made their way over the ice. “I’ll write a song about how brave you are, if you want,”  
“Really?” Eve whispered, her face lighting up.  
“Of course! It’ll be my best song yet, I know it!” Jaskier replied, drawing another small smile from the girl. 

A loud crack sounded once again, and Eve’s mother screamed.  
A terrifying combination of sounds, in Jaskier’s humble opinion.  
A large section of the ice around them was breaking apart completely, and Jaskier knew they had no time to continue at this pace. The first splash of ice-cold water hit his face and he gasped.  


Eve was screaming now for her mother.  
There was no time to think as he dragged Eve closer and with all his strength pushed her toward the edge of the lake, and towards her waiting mother.  
Jaskier could see the girl wrapped safely in her mother’s arms away from the ice. He cheered in celebration and then the ice beneath him shattered entirely. 

One minute he was above water, the next he was in darkness.  
The indescribable cold of the water took his breath away.  
He didn’t know which way was up and he began to panic, kicking frantically.  
His lungs burned, the lack of air causing a different kind of darkness to crowd his vision.  
He couldn’t even scream.  
The blackness crawled closer, threatening to blind him completely when a large shape appeared in front of him.  
He tried to reach out desperately, his hand pale in the dark water.  
A hand gripped his and suddenly he was flying up, up, up -

/ / /

Jaskier must have passed out, because the next thing he knew he was laying on the freezing ground.  
“-askier!”  
He knew that voice.  
_Geralt_.  
Jaskier tried to say as much but instead he choked, a horrible gurgling sound deep in his chest.  
Strong hands turned him over and he coughed and coughed until all the water was expelled from his lungs.  
“Geralt,” he gasped.  
The hands held his arms tighter, the grip almost painful.  


“E-Eve?” Jaskier managed, trying to blink the darkness away so he could see the girl.  
“She’s fine, you idiot,” Geralt growled, although he moved slightly so Jaskier could see the shivering girl held close to her mother.  
“Thank you, thank you so much,” The woman cried, clutching her daughter closer.  
Jaskier attempted one of his smiles, although judging by the woman’s face it failed spectacularly.  
“Do you have a horse?” Geralt asked the woman.  
“No, no we walked from town,” she replied, rubbing Eve’s arms up and down to try and warm the child up.

Geralt sighed deeply, still holding onto Jaskier who was shivering violently under his hands.  
“Take my horse, send help back to us,” the Witcher muttered, sounding like the words caused him pain.  
Jaskier watched them go with big eyes.  
“Wow, y-you let them ride R-Roach,” Jaskier said.  
“Shut up,” Geralt replied, though his tone held little malice.  
“Y-you don’t even let m-me ride Roach!” Jaskier continued incredulously.  
Geralt huffed out a small laugh, rubbing Jaskier’s arms to generate warmth.

“Geralt,” Jaskier whispered. “I’m cold,”  
Geralt’s small smile fell quickly.  
“I know,” the Witcher replied softly. “Help will be here soon.”  
As Jaskier shivered under his touch, Geralt debated carrying Jaskier back to the town.  
The snow was falling heavily now, the visibility worse by the minute. It would be safer to wait, he decided.  


Geralt pulled Jaskier up and onto his lap, off the cold ground. He leant over the bard to shield him from the snowfall.  
Jaskier stared up at him, his eyes so blue in contrast to the white all around them.  
Jaskier mumbled something then, too quiet even for the Witcher to hear.

“What was that?” Geralt asked.  
“Thank you for saving me,” Jaskier whispered, eyes fluttering closed.  
Geralt didn’t reply, but held the bard even closer – it was pointless trying to keep him awake, the cold had already set in.  


It was then that he noticed Jaskier had stopped shivering, his lips a worrying shade of blue.  
He was so still in Geralt’s arms, his clothes beginning to ice over. While Geralt also felt the effects of the cold, after his brief dip to drag Jaskier out of the water – it wasn’t nearly as bad as what Jaskier was feeling.

Geralt brushed a piece of frosty hair off Jaskier’s forehead, watching the other man’s breathing carefully for any changes. The Witcher thought back to the image of Jaskier laid on the ice reaching for the young child while the ice cracked beneath him. He smiled down at the man in his lap.  


His bard was braver than most gave him credit for.  
Suddenly, Geralt picked up the sound of hooves nearby. A carriage was coming down the path, the wheels struggling through the snow.  
“Jaskier?” The driver called out.  
Geralt stood with Jaskier cradled tightly to his chest and headed towards the carriage. 

/ / /

When they made it back to the town Eve’s mother, Ane (as he learnt from the driver), was standing outside a warmly light house.  
“Come inside quickly,” Ane said, ushering them in, pausing to look Jaskier over. “There is a fresh bath drawn, not too hot,”  
Geralt nodded, following Ane through the house.  


“How is Eve?” Geralt asked.  
Ane smiled, relief clear in her eyes.  
“Thanks to your Jaskier, she is sleeping soundly,” she replied.  
His heart jumped oddly in his chest at her mention of Jaskier being ‘his’ and she smiled knowingly.

“Quickly now, the bath is through here,” Ane said, opening a door and stepping aside to let Geralt past. “There is a bedroom down the hall to the right. You’re welcome to stay as long as you need,”  
“Thank you,” Geralt said, gratitude strong in his voice.  


Ane’s face became serious.  
“There are no thanks necessary,” she said quietly. “My Eve would not have made it if it weren’t for Jaskier,”  
Geralt nodded, glancing down at the bard.  
The warmth of the house was already working to warm him, and he was shivering again slightly.  
“Hurry now, get him warm,” Ane said, stepping out of the room. “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything,” 

As soon as she had closed the door, Geralt worked the sodden clothes off Jaskier’s body. A difficult task, especially with no help from the man himself.  
Finally, Geralt eased Jaskier into the water – the Witcher knelt at the side of the bath and cupped a hand around Jaskier’s neck to support his head.  
“Jaskier,” Geralt said, lowly.  
“Hm?” came a quiet reply.  
“How long have you been awake?”  
“O-oh, a while,” Jaskier replied.  


Geralt sat still, considering leaving Jaskier in the bath to fend for himself.  
Jaskier cracked an eye open.  
“I’m too tired and cold to move,” He whined and, although there was a joking tone in his voice, Geralt could see how weak the bard was.  
He took pity on the other man, a rare sight as Jaskier would jump to say, and nodded – sitting back so he was more comfortable while Jaskier gradually warmed up.

Outside the door, Ane had left a clean set of clothes for both men. The clothes were soft and still warm from where they had evidently been left by the fire. Geralt once again felt a wave of gratitude towards the woman.  
He helped Jaskier out of the bath and got him dry and clothed before helping him down the hall to the bedroom.  


Jaskier insisted on walking by himself, although his legs still shook – with both the adrenaline and the left-over effects of the cold. Geralt wrapped a hand around the bard’s upper arm, a silent support next to him. They made it to the bedroom and Jaskier all but fell into the bed.

“Wow, this is pretty comfy,” Jaskier exclaimed, already sounding close to his usual self, Geralt noted. “It’s been months since I slept in a proper bed,”  
Geralt gave him a look.  
“We’ve been on the road a week, Jaskier,”  
Jaskier grumbled, settling down further under the covers.  
“It feels like months,” he muttered.  
Geralt hummed and moved to take a seat across the room.  
A hand shot out from under the covers then, grabbing Geralt’s wrist in a tight hold.

“Wait,” Jaskier said, all joking gone from his voice.  
“What?” Geralt said, looking at the white knuckled grip Jaskier had on his wrist.  
“I… I can’t get warm,” Jaskier whispered finally, fidgeting under the Witcher’s gaze.  
Geralt paused for a moment at the implication.  
His wrist was released suddenly, and Jaskier moved to face away from him.  
“Forget it, it’s fine,” the bard muttered.

“Move over,”  
Jaskier turned back over with wide eyes and then scooted across the small bed.  
There was hardly enough room for both of them, but they made it work.  
Jaskier kept some space between them at first, not wanting Geralt to change his mind but the heat coming off the other man was too much to resist.  
Jaskier edged closer to the Witcher, curling up against Geralt’s side sighing contentedly at the warmth that surrounded him.

“Happy now, bard?” Geralt asked, lightly. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the other man.  
Jaskier hummed in agreement, too tired and warm now to form words.  
“You did good today, Jaskier,” Geralt said, more seriously now. “I’m proud of you,”  
The smile that he received made him wonder why he hasn’t said something like that before.  
He brought his arm around Jaskier more tightly, pulling the smaller man closer against his side. 

As Jaskier slept by his side, Geralt watched the snow fall through the window and decided there was no place he’d rather be.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it's been so long, uni is so stressful at the moment...  
> It's very late here, so I have only read through it briefly (please let me know if there are any silly mistakes!)
> 
> Also, I have read every single comment that has been left on my other stories and I am so, so grateful for the amazing support.  
> Please leave me a comment if you enjoyed it or if you have any suggestions for what you want to see next!
> 
> Thank you again, see you soon!<3


End file.
